Did You See The Article In DNT About Performance Measures Mixed At Hospitals, Etc.?

The article was about Minnesota’s first comprehensive report on the quality of individual health care providers showing room for improvement. It came from The MN Department ofHealth. It measured health care quality indicators and providers.

It states that in many major quality indicators care for diabetes, high blood pressure and heart surgery, Duluth ranked the same as state averages or worse.

Patnoe, chief medical officer for Essentia siad, “But I think all areas are ripe for improvement.” St.Lukes Hospital faired poorly compared to state wide averages in treating diabetes to treating kids with colds. Strange, CEO of St. Luke’s said that ” lower scores were more likely a result of quality reporting techniques laging behind the other areas of the states.”

It was surprising that deaths related to heart bypass surgeries were 5%, worse at SMDC than St. Luke’s with 2%, better. I thought SMDC was such a heart leader, or at least that is what my husband states. Hip surgeries were 6% worse at SMDC and 4% same at St. Luke’s. I wonder if this takes into account the number of patients and surgeons. Can more surgeries cause your scores to be lower?

St. Lukes got 99% for heart atttacks, patients who received the best hospital care compared to SMDC with 97%. Is the large numbers what cause ones score to go down on the medical report card?

Patients who received the best care………………that’s interesting. My husband when he complained received a letter making it seem like it was his fault for complaining. They don’t like complaints at SMDC. My daughter had exceptional care at St. Luke’s for surgery!

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